Parlor football game



Dec. 231 1 E. A. CLARK PARLOR FOOTBALL GAME Filed June 15, 1923 kfinuwi 25624 5 4 Q 6 3 4 3 Z 5 4 7 5 3 K 6 4 6 5 6 5 3 Z 4 5 3465 46 52 23 3 2324532 453654 5632 26 26 f34 m, w m 5 v INVENTOR W J M T bRNEY 4 Fry. 5 36 Pic 2 3 P3] 4 Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,520,010 PATENT OFFICE,

EDWARD A. CLARK, O'F SALINE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JULIUS .HERTLER, OF SALINE, MICHIGAN.,

PABLOR FOOTBALL GAME.

Application filed June 15, 1923. Serial No. 645,627.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD- A. CLARK,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing in the village; of Saline, county of Washtenaw, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in a Parlor Football Game, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itplayed and regulated by rules imitating and duplicating the plays and moves in the field foot ball game well known in athletics.

A further object is to provide a playing board so constructed that it is adaptable to movements of men placed'thereon, to imitate the plays and movements of the ordinary foot' ball game, by the use. of substitute rules and regulations. I

A still further object of my invention is to invent a parlor game that is adaptable to scientific rules, and is intellectual and instructive, and can be manufactured at a low cost.

These sever-a1 objects are secured. in their preferred form by the construction and arrangement of the. playing board and the substitute rules governing the game.

Similar parts on the drawings are marked by similar numerals.

Fig. 1, is a plan view of the playing board.

Fig. 2, is a side view of the dice ball.

Fig. 3, is an end View of the dice ball showing the central section thereof for the face numbers. a a

Fig. 4:, is a plan view of one of the playmg men.

Fig. 5, is ing men, v y

Fi 6, is an edge View of the playing boar showing the means for folding the board when not in use.

I will now describe more fully the dean edge View of one of the playtailed construction of the playing board'and the component parts thereto with the rules required for playing the game.

The game consists of the playing board as shown in the Fig. 1, representing the field, and twenty two men asshown in Fig. 4, to-

ether with the dice-ball as shown in the ig. 2. The game requires two players, one being stationed at each end of the board, and each having and controllin eleven playin men. All movements of the game are controlled by the dice-ball, while the rules governing the game are similar to those used in the gameof field foot ball, although slightly modified to make them adaptable to the playing board. The men 1- are made of circular discs shown in Fig. 4, although various sizes shapes and designs may be used if desired, and are used toindi'cate the position of the football players on the field. The dice-ball 2-'is shaped similar to a' foot ball, but having a central portion cut in a hexagonal shape, forming faces thereon to retard the rolling of the ball and to retain same in a stable position on the playing board. Each face of the ball bears a number, ranging from 1- to -'6 inclusive, but not in a consecutive order, and no two adjacent faces thereon bearing consecutive numbers. Both the playing men and the ball may be made of wood, or any suitable material,.and polished or finished as desired. The game can be played equally as well with the ordinary dice. The ,playing board 3 is madeof thin material, preferably of card board, and of a'size suitable for holding in the laps of two players. The board being formed of two sections, and hinged together at theydanter along the line -AA., by means 0 the cloth hinge -B- glued to the upper surfaces of the adjoining edges, for the purpose of folding the board when not in use, and protecting the field design. The upper surface of the board represents the playing field for the and-so designated by the figures along the edge of the board, representing the number of yards the line is from the goal line. Each section line indicating a five yard advance. The field is also divided into eleven longitudinal strips extending the entire length of the playing board, as indicated by theparallellines The intersection of the transverse lines -E and the longitudinal lines -G, divide the field into small sections, each of which carries a number ranging between one (1) and six (6) inclusive, so arranged that no two adjacent spaces are occupied by consecutive numbers, in any direction, either in parallel, transverse or diagonal directions. It is desirable that all of the numbers appear in all yard lines.

No particular arrangement is required,

but most desirable to keep the numbers so arranged as to provide the greatest combination possible, in order to utilize the plays secured by rolling the dice-ball. Two extra yard lines are provided back of the goal posts -C- to provide space for the extra men back of the front line men, when the goal play is made. The playing board is symmetrical about the center line AA, so arranged that both sides carry the same arrangement and position of all numbers thereon.

In playing my game of parlor foot ball, each player "takes a position at opposite ends of the playing'board, back of the goal posts, and'havin'g eleven vmen at his command of different color than his opponent. The playing men are lined up on each side of the center line of the board, marked AA-, each having seven men in the front row, as positioned in the fifty yard line directly opposite those of his opponent. The remainingfour men may be arranged on the board as desired, but must have some men in each of the forty five, and forty yard lines. In other words,'the player must always occupy three successive yard lines in the formation. The position as indicated on the boardin Fig. 1, represents one ar- 7 rangement that may be made. The players are then ready to start the game. Each player rolls the disc-ball once, and the player receiving the highest number as indicated by the top figure on the dice-ball, takes possession thereof, and starts the game, being confined to the following rules. He may use either the end run or line buck, or forward pass, or may punt, choosing his move as the game develops. The player mayroll the dice-ball three times for an end run or line buck, twice for a forward pass, and only once for a punt, and in all cases counting the number on the top face of the ball. In the end run or line buck, the player has three downs, or trials, in which to make the ten yard gain,.while in the forward pass, or

punt, he has only one. If he chooses to move by the end run or line buck, he then rolls the dice-ball three times, and if the three numbers secured, correspond to a like combination of adjacent numbers on his opponents field, unoccupied by his opponents men, each'number being located in different yard lines occupied by the opponents men, the player gains five yards and one down. The player has three downs, or trials, to

make a ten yard advance, and may repeat 1 the play if desired. If he fails to gain the ten yards in three downs, or trials, he the-n forfeits the ball to his opponent. The adjacent numbers on the opponents field may be taken from the square directly in front of the preceding number chosen, or at a diagonal direction, but the combination must comprise numbers lying in each of the three yard lines, and in squares unoccupied by his opponents men, and reading in the order obtained from the ball, the first number being in the front line occupied by his opponents Thus, combinations as indicated by the dotted lines H on F 1, are required in order to entitle the player to ad- Vance on the field, being as follows; 541- spread the back four men in any position:

desired to block the play. If the player succeeds in gaining ten yards in three downs, or trials, he continues his play. Should the prospects be doubtful as to making the ten yard gain in the three trials, he may abandon the end run or line buck move, and adopt one of the other plays named, in which casehe must call the word, Shift, and allow his opponent to rearrange his men on the field to meet the play, and may remove two of the men fro-m the front line to aid in the new formation, leaving at least five men in the front line, and distributing the. rest as desired over the two succeeding yard lines. If the player chooses the forward pass,-he rolls the diceball twice, and if opponents men, he advances his men fifteen yards, but if the number in the dice-ball in either throw, "is covered by any of the opponents men in the second and third lines, it is an intercepted pass and the player loses the ball. If the player should try the punt, he rolls the ball but once, and the number indicated thereby must correspond to some number on the third line of his opponent, not occupied by the opponents men, and if successful he advances his men ten yards. In either the forward pass or the punt, the layer loses the ball tothe opponent. T e game continues until one of the players succeed in placing his front line men over his opponents goal, which constitutes a touchdown and counts six points for the player. Ifthe player tries a, punt,

and secures a number on the dice-balllying 1 between the goal stakes K, he gains an extra point. The players maysettle upon winner.

Various plays may be added to substitute for the numerous moves on the foot ball field, the main object being to follow the foot ball rules as nearly as possible in adapting the game to the playin board.

I do not wish to be con ned to the exact construction and arrangement of my playing board, or the exact number of spaces or numbers thereon, but claim any and all forms of parlor foot ball games that is substantially similar to the one herein set forth.

Having fully described my parlor foot ball game, What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.- A parlor foot ball game of the character described comprising a playing board, horizontal and transverse lines thereon for dividing the field into sections similar to theof each yard line, and so arranged as to form longitudinal alignment of said figures on the board, playing men for recording the movements made on said board, a dice-ball with number on each face thereof corresponding to the numberson the board.

3. A parlor foot ball game substantially as set forth comprising a playin board having goal posts positioned at eac end thereof,-transverse yard lines ruled across said board to designate position on the field, parallel longitudinal lines extendin wise of the playing board, dividing said board into small sections, a number placed in each section, said numbers ranging from (1) to (6), inclusively numbers along the edge of the board to indicate the distance of the yard lines from the goal, imitation playing men for recording position of the plays on the various numbers on the board, a diceball having faces thereon, said faces numbered from (1) to' (6) inclusively, but not consecutively.

In witness whereof, I sign these specifications.

EDWARD A. CLARK.

lengthi 

